For some time, I had been contemplating an expansion to my existing shop to give myself more storage and out-of-the-weather workspace.  As I visualized the new addition, I realized that I could add a second floor to the expansion and thereby create a fairly large dance space.  Since I would need a roof over the addition anyway, the only additional cost would be for the floor joists, flooring, and the beams to support that second floor.  This was in the Summer of 1997, and one week-end, 2 friends, Tony and Mel, were visiting and I was telling Tony about my fantasy.  Well, as it happens, Tony is in the log cabin construction business and he just happened to have some old telephone poles that he had removed from a railroad right-of-way and would be willing to donate to the project.   The next week-end he showed up with the poles and the project was underway! materials_arrive.jpg (1023185 bytes)

Lumber is delivered.

      That fall we had 3 weekend work parties.   Folks were invited to come for either or both days.   Because the shop was 20' wide, the addition was to be 20' wide by 36' long.  It was to consist of 3 bays, each 12' long.  There would be 3 bents, 12' apart - a bent consisting of 2 vertical poles with a horizontal pole forming the second floor support and atop each pole a 7" round pole forming the roof rafter.  A major portion of the shop roof needed to be removed as the pavilion area was to extend over part of the shop.  (Note in the picture the sloping roof on the left.) 

The first week-end (actually only 1 day since we were rained out the second day), about 20 people showed up and, as a result, a portion of the old shed roof was removed, all 3 bents were finished, and the joists and flooring for the first 2 bents were installed.   Whew!

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First pole goes up!

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First bent is up with floor joists.

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All 3 bents are up, part of joists for 2nd.

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Rainy Sunday morning.work_breakfast.jpg (119087 bytes)

The second week-end, the floor went down and rafters n' purlins made their appearance.  More of the old shop roof was removed and diagonal bracing was placed below the floor.  The 3rd week-end most of the roof was placed.  During the winter, the project lay dormant for the most part.

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Rafters and purlins.

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Metal roof goes on.

Come Spring, one work-day completed some of the outside railings and the stage for the bands.  My mother, a brother and sister, and nephew came up on Memorial Day week-end and helped us clean the floor in preparation for painting.

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KaDe sweeping.

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More cleanup.

June 13, 1998 we held our first Shy Bear Dance.

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Stage

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Quiet time before the dance

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Band warms up

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Forward & back!

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Alamande right!

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Breakfast.

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